Our Tafes Matter » Your TAFE

Single bargaining for TAFE

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:45:04 +0000

At the Victorian TAFE Branch meeting held on 5 March, delegates endorsed a campaign to persue a single Agreement for PACCT employees across Victoria. The Agreement would be similar to the Victorian TAFE teachers’ single Agreement.

In the last bargaining round, the then Education Minister, Jacinta Allen, refused to treat PACCT staff the same as their teacher colleagues within TAFE. Victoria now has a new Minister for Education, Bronwyn Pyke. The TAFE Branch will commence its campaign for a single Agreement by opening up discussions with Ms Pyke shortly.

During the first week of May, TAFE sub-branches will celebrate the work of PACCT employees by holding barbeques, morning teas and lunches across all TAFEs in Victoria.

Victorian TAFE Agreements expire in February 2011. TAFE sub-branches will start holding log of claims meetings around July, August and September this year.

NTEU National Council

bri_pres — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:50:04 +0000

October 9th, 10th and 11th saw the NTEU’s National Council held in Melbourne. The TAFE sector was well represented by Angela Barnes, Ros Kuss, Brian Hughes and Ivan Munro.
You can find the motions passed by National Council on the NTEU website.

Sustainability of Christmas Closedown

rachelhn2 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 06:21:23 +0000

SuniTAFE management wouldn’t give PACCT staff the Christmas closedown in the new agreement – they just refused point blank to give grace-and-favour days which we thought was pretty spiteful – no appreciation of PACCT staff. They’ve now decided that they will keep SuniTAFE open over the Christmas closedown period so that staff have to take annual leave or TOIL. The cost of keeping the institute open for a small handful of staff is hardly in keeping with the sustainability image that we are touting all over the place. The institute won’t be open to students or teachers during the closedown period, just those PACCT staff who would like the option of working so as not to lose those 3-5 days of leave. The cost of airconditioning, security, power etc for the entire Institute is hardly justified for those few staff who would come in over the break but obviously management feel the need to prove a point…

Know Your Agreement Lunch and Learn – NMIT – Preston Campus

admin — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:13:14 +0000

The new NMIT/NTEU PACCT EBA will soon be certified and to kick of the new EBA we are holding a Lunch and Learn to discuss the new improvements and other existing entitlements and rights. A light lunch will be provided.

Non members wishing to join on the day are welcome to attend.

The Lunch and Learn will be held on Friday 14th August between 12.30 – 1.30pm in C208 on the Preston campus. We will try and organise meeting at other campuses depending on demand.

The improvements in benefits include:

* Two 3.25% salary increases over the next 2 years, with the first to be back dated to the various dates in February and March when agreements were reached and the second pay rise 12 months later;

* An additional $400 (pro rata) lump sum payment to each PACCT staff member;

* Access to long service leave after 7 years (instead of the current 10); and

* Improved maternity leave and adoption leave, including paid leave increased from 12 to 14 weeks, and an additional 12 months of unpaid leave

These outcomes represent excellent results for TAFE members at a time when governement is seeking to limit and reduce salary and other improvements.

Good results in TAFE bargaining

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 23:56:28 +0000

Despite the global financial crisis, 14 TAFE Collective Agreements have been concluded with good outcomes for NTEU members.

They include a pay rise of 3.25% which has delivered a quick increase prior to the State Government revising downwards the public sector wages policy to 2.7%.

NTEU TAFE Branch took the practical decision late last year to roll over current Agreements for a 3.25% payrise in line with public sector wages policy. Given the global financial crisis the Branch was worried that the State Government may reduce the wages policy. The TAFE Branch decision was well advised given the change in public sector wages policy.

Most of the Agreements deliver a range of local arrangements to grant grace in favour days for the Christmas closedown. The closedown days are worth 0.7% to 1.5%.

All fourteen Agreements include the following improvements:

· Two 3.25% salary increases over the next two years, with the first to be back-dated to the various dates in February and March when Agreements were reached and the second rise 12 months later.

· An additional $400 (pro rata) lump sum payment to each PACCT staff member.

· Access to long service leave after seven years (instead of the current 10).

· Improved maternity leave and adoption leave, including paid leave increased from 12 to 14 weeks, and an additional 12 months of unpaid leave.

By Janet Bourke, Industrial Officer, Victorian Division

Know Your Agreement

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 02:11:20 +0000

There are new collective agreements at all Victorian TAFEs. The NTEU will be running a series of Know Your Agreement sessions at all TAFEs. Look out for the flyer for your local session.

New site is here!

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 02:47:58 +0000

Welcome to the new Our TAFEs Matter website. This website provides a one-stop-shop for PACCT staff members to find out the latest news and events relating to their conditions at work, get involved in the NTEU at their TAFE and to take part in an online discussion about TAFE pay and conditions.